Radiator cover



July 29, 1930. E, Q LAWRENCE 1,771,714

RADIATOR COVER Filed March 21, 1928 NEN'ToR.

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ATTORNEYS.

Patent July 29, 1.930

UNITED STATES EDWARD C. LAWRENCE, F OAKLAND, MARYLAND `mn1aron covnn Application :tiled Iarch 21, 1928. Serial No. 263,431.

This invention relates to covers for automobile radiators and has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive construction which is effective in closing othe front of 5 the radiator to varying degrees and which may be readily applied to or removed fromthe radiator as a unit.

Another object of the invention resides in applying to the frame of the cover the outlines of several radiators of somewhat smaller dimensionsithan the largest size for whichV the cover is intended, whereby the cover may be adapted for use on a di'erent radiator by merely selecting the proper outline and trimming oli' the rame'alongthat line.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of a roller disposed adjacent the curtain roller and adapted to maintain the effective lengthl of the curtainin a substans tially vertical plane.4

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel locking device which may be clamped to any desired part of the automobile dash and which is designed to cooperate with the curtain operating means so as to lock the curtain in various adj usted positions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying` drawings; in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the device.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the attachment; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.v

Referring to the drawings in greater` detail, the numeral 1 indicates any conventlonal type of automobile radiator while the numeral 2 refers to the usual form of dash on which the ignition switch, etc., are usually mounted.

The radiator cover which forms the present'invention is indicated generally b the numeral .3 and comprises a metallic rame member preferably stamped up from sheet metal to provide a flat portion surroundlng the top and two sides of the ra1sed portlon 5. The raised portion 5 is provided wlth the rectangular cut-away portion 6 which normally allows air to pass through the radiator. Mounted within the raised portion 5 of the device and extending vertically therein are the two plates 7 disposed on opposite sides of the frame and cooperating with the raised portion 5 to provide vertical channels 8.

The lower portion of the frame is pressed to provide a substantially semi-circular Casin 9 1n which is mounted a spring-controlle roller 10. Attached to this roller is the lower 6o end of acurtain 11 formed of flexible material and provided at spaced intervals with narrow stiiening members 12 which vserve to maintain the curtain in flat condition when in use. The upper or free edge of the curtain 11 is provided with a cross bar 13, the ends of which as well as the edge of the curtain 11 and strips 12 are located inthe channel members 8 so as to maintain the-curtain in proper position with respect to the radiator and spaced therefrom.

Rotat-ably mounted within the embossed or raised portion 5 is a second roller 14. This roller is mounted adjacentl the spring-controlled roller 10 and serves as a guide to maintain, the eiective portion of the curtain in a substantially vertical plane when in use. In' this connection it should be noted that the stiening members 12 are suiliciently narrow to readily pass around both the rollers 10 and 14.

The curtain is ada-pted to be operated by means of cords 15 which may be wired to or otherwise connected to the ends of the cross bar 13 as indicated b numeral 16. These cords 15 extend upwar ly within the channels 8 and pass over guide pulleys 17 which are rotatably mounted in the upper corners of the embossed portion 5. Also mounted within the top of the embossed portion 5 are two guide rollers 18 which are adapted to rotate in a horizontal plane and over which the two cords 15 pass. These cords extend under the hood of the automobile and have their free ends attached to a chain 19, which chain is composed of a plurality of balls 20 connected by threads 21 of metal or the like. A ring 22 or other type of handle is preferably ap plied to the end of this chain to facilitate operation of the curtain.

It is intended that the present construction be operable to entirely close the front of the radiator or to close any portion thereof as ma be desired according to the weather conditlons. To this end I have provided a locking device for the curtain which includes a key-hole slot 23 adapted to cooperate with the balls 20 on the chain just described. This key-hole slot 23 is formed in a late 24 which has secured thereto an L- hape arm 25 which cooperates with the plate 24 'to provide a channel 26. Threaded in the rear wall of the channel 26, lthat is, in the arm 25, is a screwl stock in or er to fit the many different types or sizes of radiators, I have provided means by which one cover may be readily adapted to fit several different sizes of radiators.- For this purpose the flat portion 4 of the radiator cover is provided with the outlines 29 of several somewhat dierent sizes of radiators. These outlines 29 are provided with indicia 30 to indicate the particular automobile to which the outline refers. After selecting the proper outline it is only necessary that the fiat portion 4 be cut along this line in order that the radiator cover be adapted to that particular radiator. 4

The entire device may be attached to the radiator as a unit by means of four bolts or the like 31.

In operation the device is applied to the radiator of the automobile b means of the bolts 31, it being understoo of course, if the radiator to which the cover is to be applied is of smaller size or different design from that for which the cover is primarily intended, then the cover is to be adapted to the particular typev of radiator by cuttin along the proper line 29 as outlined on the at portion 4 of the attachment. The .locking device v24 is then attached to the most convenient part of the dash 2 by setting up on the clamping screw27 and the device is ready for use, it being understood, of course, that the cords 15 have been passed under the hood of the automobile and attached to the chain 19. When it is desired to entirely close or partly close the front of the radiator the chain 19 is drawn toward the operator the pro er distance and then pressed downwardly into the narrow portion of the key-hole slot 23, thereby locking the curtain in its adjusted posit1on. If 1t is desired to entirely open the front of the radiator the chain 19 is released from the key-hole slot 23 and the spring roller 10 will return the curtain to its normal or inoperative position at the base of the frame.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it will be apparent that I have provided a simple and inexpensive type of radiator cover of unitary and compact construction which may be readily applied to a radiator without the services of a skilled workman; that the curtain is always maintained, when in use, in a liat condition and in a substantially vertical plane by reason of the roller 14 and the stiflenlng ribs 12 and that the curtain may be easily and conveniently operated by the driver of the automobile from his position in front of the dash.

In accordance with the patent statutes I havedescribed what I now believe to be the best embodiment of the invention but I do notl wish to be understood thereby as limiting myself of the scope of my invention, as many changes and modiications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention; all such I aim to include in the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the class described including a rectangular frame provided with vertically disposed channels, a spring-controlled roller mounted at the bottom of said frame, a lexi. ble curtain having one end attached to said roller, pulley Wheels mounted at the upper ends of said channels and at the middle of the upper horizontal portion of the frame,

and cords attached to the free end of said curtain and extending over said pulley wheels to the dash of an automobile.

2. A device of the class described including a rectangular frame provided with vertically disposed channels, an upwardly extending plate on the upper edge of said frame adapted to be seated in a recess of a radiator, a spring controlled roller mounted at the bottom of EDWARD C. LAWRENCE. 

